Heel-blacking machine.



Patented Nov. 7, 1911.'l

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F. M. PURBER. HEEL BLAGKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATIO'N FILED AUG. 7, 190. E 1;0O7,'7'77. Patented No1/.7, 1911.

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F. M. FURBER.

HEEL BLAGKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED Amm, 190s.

1 ,007,777, Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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F. M. FURBBR.

HEEL BLACKING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 190B.

1 ,007,777, v Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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F. M. FURBER.

HEEL BLAGKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 190s.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGIIAPH ca .wAsHxNnroN D c SETTE@ STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK M. FURBER, 0F REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEV JERSEY.

HEEL-BLACKING MACHINE,

moonen,

To all whom it may concer/n.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK M. FUR- nnn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Revere, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Heel-BlackingMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters onthe drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for `use in finishing boots and shoesand other articles and particularly to machines for applying blacking orfinishing material, herein referred to generically as blacking, to theedges of heels or soles.

ltor convenience reference will be made herein to the work as the heelwith the understanding that, except as obviously required by thecontext, the term is used in a broad sense to designate the heel, sole,or lother part of the shoe being worked upon.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine by which the heel ofa shoe can be blacked at the same speed as by hand or faste-r, with lessliability of soiling other parts of the `shoe than the faces which it isintended to treat, and with greater assurance of thoroughly coatingevery portion of the surface that requires blacking.

An important feature of this invention consists in a machine forblacking heels hav ing provision for applying to the edge face of a heelenough blacking to coat it and for applying to the rand crease-that is,the crease between the upper and the sole or welt-a relatively greaterquantity of blacking to insure the thorough coloring of all the surfacesin the crease and which will 'ireferably be enough to iiood the crease.By flooding the crease the blacking finds its way into the bottom of thecrease and into the irregularities of the crease more surely and withless attention from the operator than when a brush or portion of a brushis employed which is supplied with a suitable quantity of blacking forcoating the edge of the heel. This relatively abundant applicaSpecication of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 7, 1908.

Patented-Nov. *7, 1911.

Serial No. 447,399.

tion of blacking to the crease may be obtained by supplying to thecrease or to the portion of the applying device acting at the crease arelatively greater quantity of blacking than to the edge of the heel orto like portions ofthe device for spreading the blacking on the edgeface of the heel.

In the embodiment of the invention herein shown the blacking is appliedto the heel by brushes, to the crease-blacking portions of which agreater quantity of material is supplied than to the edge-blackingportions. This may be accomplished as here shown by arranging thebrushes on vertical axes and supplying the blacking to the upper edgeportion which enters the rand crease, while permitting the portion ofblacking not used in the crease to work down by gravity to the loweredge-coating portion of the brush.

In the heel-blacking operation it is important to avoid smearing ordaubing portions of the shoe which do not require to be blacked. I havediscovered that by applying the blacking to the rand crease as abovesuggested the walls of the crease can be thoroughly blacked withoutgetting much blacking on the upper at the side of the shoe. There is,however, a tendency for the bristles at the edge of the brush to spreadout or bend upwardly against the upper and after a period of use thesebristles assume an upwardly bent position in which they daub blackingupon the upper.

A feature of this invention consists'in providing means forautomatically bending back the bristles at the edge of the brush. Thishas the double advantage that the brush is kept in better shape so thatit wears longer and that neater work is done. The bending back of thebristles may be effected by a device with relation to which the brushtravels in its rotary movement. As herein shown a plate arranged at theend face of the brush has an acting face which extends from a pointwithin the periphery of the brush outwardly in a tangential line or in adirection oblique to the radius of the brush and wipes the bristlesdownwardly and outwardly as they pass under it. This wiper has also atendency to strip the blacking toward the ends of the bristles, keepingthem clean and free from thickened or dried blacking which wouldotherwise accumulate at the edge of the brush.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention means is providedwhich is adapted to bend the bristles at the upper end of the brush,which are intended for applying blacking in the rand crease, downwardlyinto a position inclined toward the body of the brush. By this means theends of the bristles are shaped to enter between the inclined upper andlower faces of the rand crease and force the blacking deeply into thecrease. The means herein shown for thus shaping the brush to enter thecrease is the roll which transfers the blacking from the source ofsupply to the brush. This roll turns in contact with the creaseblackingbristles, wiping them downwardly and depositing upon them a quantity ofblacking which they carry into the crease.

The blacking is supplied in sufficient quantities to flood the crease,being driven into the bottom of the crease by the shaped edge of thebrush and the excess flowing down the face of the brush and the edgeface of the heel over which it is wiped by the brush. Preferably and asherein shown, the end face of the brush is beveled, not only by theforming or shaping means described but in its initial formation to shapeit for entering the rand crease. This initial formation may be given tothe brush by the direction in which the bristles are projected from thehub, but preferably it is obtained by cutting the bristles on a bevel,the upper bristles being made the shorter. The bristles forming thecrease-blacking portion of the brush may advantageously be much stifferthan the bristles that act on the edge of the heel. This enables themmore certainly to force or drive the blacking into the crease. They arepreferably formed upon a thin section of the brush, the body portion ofwhich consists of soft bristles adapted to wipe the blacking over theedge face of the heel and leave a smooth coating thereon.

In blacking the heel at and adjacent to the edge of the breast care mustbe exercised to avoid running past the edge and depositv ing blacking onthe breast face of the heel and upon the shank, which in many shops isnot to be blacked. To assist the operator in presenting or turning theshoe with relation to the brushes to bring the side of the heel intoposition to be blacked without soiling the breast and shank I haveprovided, in accordance with another feature of this invention,adjustable stops against which the turning movement of the shoe in bothdirections mair be limited. These :stops are adjustable for shoes ofdifferent sizes and reduce materially the care rcquired of the operatorin presenting the shoes so that he is able to work more rapidly. One ofthe difficulties encountered in blacking heels is that the bristlesspring or snap forwardly as they pass the edge of the breast and spatterblacking upon the shank and sole.

Another important feature of this invention consists in provision forovercoming this difficulty and is herein shown as embodied in means forguiding the shoe with relation to the brush so that the bristles willnot be flexed or bent backwardly enough when they reach the breast edgeto cause them to spring or snap past the edge to an extent to spatterblacking. The shoe-guiding means may advantageously be formed to permitthe shoe to be pressed more closely against the brush when theportions'distant from the breast edge are being treated so that thebristles will wipe over it in the usual way for spreading coatingmaterial, but as the shoe is turned to present the por tion adjacent toand at the breast edge it is forced or guided outwardly from the centerof the brush so that the backwardly bent bristles have opportunity torecover themselves or resulne substantially their normal straightposition before they pass the breast edge. In this position they do notspring forward as they pass the edge and do not spatter blacking. Theshoe-guiding means for this purpose may advantageously be the same plateor device by which the upturned bristles are straightened as has beenbefore described. This device as herein shown comprises a stationaryplate having an acting edge eccentric to the rotary brush and locatedwith relation to the periphery of the brush to form a stop which permitsthe shoe to be pressed somewhat deeply into the brush when the bodyportion is being coated and to guide the shoe outwardly from the brushas the breast edge is approached so that the bristles may partially orcompletely recover their normal position when the edge is reached.Provision is made for adjustment of this guide and when, as hereillustrated, a plurality of brushes are employed between which the heelis thrust for treating it at two or more points simultaneously theguides on opposed brushes may limit the extent to which the heel isthrust into the machine. By thus limiting the extent to which the heelenters the machine and also limit-ing, by the adjustable stops, theextent to which the shoe is turned the operator may present the shoewithout. the exercise of that care and skill which would otherwise berc` quired for he can merely thrust the heel backwardly upon thesuitably adjusted tread rest until it is stopped by the guides and thenswing or turn the toe end first to one side to the stop to black theheel to one breast edge and then swing it in the other direction untilit engages the opposite stop for blacking the other side of the heel tothe other breast edge. rlhe guiding plates cause the shoe to beautomatically moved outwardly from the brush center as the shoe isturned to move the breast edge toward the contact point with the brush.Still another feature of construction is employed for this purpose ofpreventing' spattering and this consists in setting the bristles veryclose together and interlacing them more or less on the body portion ofthe brush, leaving no spaces between them as occurs when sepa` rate`bunches or tufts of bristles are set `at intervals in the hub so thatthe periphery of the brush is made up of distinct groups of bristleswhich are free to spring forwardly without encountering the adjacentgroup as they pass the breast edge of the heel. No danger arises ofspattering blacking by the portion of the brush that acts in the randcrease and the relatively short and stiffer bristles of this portieri ofthe brush may advantageously be set less close together so that theywill carry a greater quantity of blacking into the rand crease.Provision is made, in an angularly adjustable heel tread rest, forsupporting the shoe with the rand crease in parallel relation to thecreaseblacking section of the brush.

1n the preferred embodiment of the invention the blacking, which istaken from the reservoir by a drum having stirrers that keep theblacking constantly agitated, is delivered to the brushes by a rotarytransferrer which turns in substantial contact with the drum at itsfront side and in the same direction as the drum and wipes downwardlyacross the upper end and edge of the brushes. rlhis deliveringmechanism, which has the advantage of keeping the blacking in constantmotion on moving parts of the mechanism so that it has no opportunity tosettle or thicken andV thereby impede its delivery, is an importantfeature of this invention.

A further feature of this invention embodied in a modified constructionconsists in means for insuring the delivery of predetermined relativequantities of blacking to cach of the brushes and to each brush whenadjusted into di iferent positions for treating large and small shoes.This feature of the invention is shown as embodied in a distributerwhich may be substituted for the rotary transferrer or be used with saidtransferrer. The distributer is herein shown as comprising a platehaving its nar` row rear end arranged in scraping contact with the drumin the reservoir. rl`he front portion of the plate is provided withpartitions or walls to divide the blacking as it comes from the drum anddirect predetermined portions thereof toward each of the brushes. Theforward portions of the distributer overlie the top faces of the brushesto deliver the blacking upon the crease section of the brush. rlhedistributer is shown as having two channels for each brush. From onepair of channels the blacking is delivered upon the brushes when theyare adjusted for large heels, as those of mens slices, and from theother pair of channels the blacking is delivered upon the brushes whenthey are adjusted closer together for small or womens shoe heels. r1hischanneled or partitioned distributer has the advantage that it insuresto each brush its proper proportion of blacking whether or not themachine is set up level.

These and other features of this invention, including certain details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, will appear in connection withthe following description of the machine in which l have embodied theinvention for the purpose of explanation and will then be pointed out inthe claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a section on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a'plan. Fig. 4 is also a plan showing theaction of the guides. Fig. 5 is a detail of the shoe rest. Figs. 6, 7,8, 9 and 10 show modifications.

The machine comprises a reservoir 2 which is cylindrical in its generalshape and has bearings for a shaft a carrying a drum 5 the periphery ofwhich serves to lift blacking from the lower part of the reservoir to atransferrer 8. The shaft has a pinion 10 driven from a worm 12 on ashaft let supported in bearings at the side of the machine and havingfast and loose pulleys. Normally the belt will be retained on the fastpulley and the drum be constantly driven. The drum has laterallyprojecting arms reaching nearly to the ends of the reservoir which sweepthrough the blacking near the bottom of the reservoir and keep itconstantly stirred.

rlhe transferrer 8 is in the form of a roll driven, as indicated by thearrow thereon in Fig. 2, in the same direction as the drum 5 and islocated substantially in contact with the drum so that the blacking iscaused to collect or pile up in the angle between the peripheries of thetwo rolls. The transferrer is driven from a worm 16 on the shaft 1, theinclination of this worm being opposed to that of the worm 12. A scraper17, which limits the amount of blacking carried by the transferrer and`catches any lumps that there may be, is positioned on the reservoir, asshown in Fig. 2, and can be adjusted by a screw 18. The transferrerwipes down across the upper edge of the applying rolls 20, deliveringits blacking upon the top thereof. These rolls are arranged in' positionto act simultaneously upon opposite sides of a heel thrust between themwhich can be turned to present the entire edge face to the action of therolls. The rolls comprise brushes, which are shown as tapered to conformto a usual shape of heel, and fast to vertical shafts 22 having worms 23that engage opposite threaded portions of a shaft 25 which is driven bya pinion 26 from a worm 28 on the shaft 14. Each roll shaft 22 has acollar 29 by which it is supported on the slotted forward extension orshelf 30 of the reservoir 2, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of the two shafts22 has a bearing in a block 32 which is guided in upright position on ahorizontal slide rod 34 and a rod 35 which has oppositely inclinedthreads at 36 where it' passes through the bloe'ks and has a hand wheel37 by which it can be turned to adjust the brush shafts from and towardeach other for large or small shoes. The slot-s in the shelf 30 permitthis adjustment of the brush shafts 22. A table or heel tread rest 40,in the form of a three-edged plate having its faces adjacent to thebrushes concaved to conform approximately to the peripheries of thebrushes, has a depending stem that fits into the tubular upper end of anadjusting screw 42 having a hand wheel on its lower end, as indicated inFig. 2. The rest may also have a depending pin 43 to lit into a hole inthe shelf 30 to prevent it from turning. Stop pins 45, which may becovered with rubber, are arranged at opposite sides of the machine forlimiting the eXtent to which a shoe is turned for presenting the entireside face up to but not beyond the breast edge. The shelf 30 has aseries of holes in which the stop pins may be positioned according tothe size of the heels being treated and will assist the operator interminating the swinging movement of the shoe before a point is reachedat which the brushes would apply or spatter blacking upon the shank orbreast of the shoe. The rest will be adjusted vertically for heels ofdifferent heights and will support the shoe in such relation to thebrush that the upper edge portion of the brushes will enter and blackthe rand crease between the upper and the top face of the heel seat endof the sole. Preferably the brushes will comprise a main section m whichmay be of usual formation with long flexible bristles which willpreferably be set as close together as practicable to brace one anotherand preventv them from snapping and spattering blacking as they pass thebreast edge of the heel. These bristles may be mounted in a wooden hubof usual construction. In addition the brush comprises a thin section z5adapted to act in the crease of the shoe. This crease section willpreferably include a wide metal hub or disk and short stilf bristles onits periphery adapted to resist the bending influence of the work uponthem and to reach into and thoroughly coat the surfaces of the randcrease. The acting edge of this section may be beveled as shown to adaptit to the shape of the crease. The shorter bristles are at the upperedge and assist in preventing the relatively longer lower bristles frombending upwardly as they have a tendency to do after being used a littlewhile. The bristles will preferably be set less closely than in the mainsection of the brush to adapt them to carry more blacking into thecrease.

The edge of the metal disks above the short bristles may, if desired, bearranged to engage the upper of the shoe to guide the shoe with relationto the brushes. Additional guides 50 are arranged upon the top faces ofthe brushes and connected by the bar 52 which prevents them fromturning, but permits them to slide toward and from one another,maintaining their proper relation to the brushes when the latter areadjusted. These guides have acting edge faces for engaging the shoewhich are formed eccentric to the brushes, as shown in plan view in Fig.4. These eccentric edges uncover a maximum width of the bristles at theinner or adjacent portions of the two u brushes and permit it adecreasing extent of projection as the outer portion of the brush isapproached or that portion which will act upon the shoe at and adjacentto the breast edge. This formation of the guides that determines therelation of the work to the bristles insures that the bristles shall bebent back by the work less as they approach the heel breast edge. Thisreduces the tendency of the bristles to spatter or throw blacking asthey snap past the edge of the breast. The eccentric formation of theguide also causes it to bend back automatically toward their horizontalposition the bristles at the upper edge of the brush that have been bentupwardly by their engagement with the work. This keeps the brush inproper shape and also it prevents the daubing of the shoe upper whichwould be done by the bent-up bristles. The tread rest may be provided,as shown in Fig. 5, with a superposed angularly adjustable shoesupporting plate 39 pivoted to the rest 40 and adjustable by a screw 4lto support pitched heels with the rand crease parallel to thecrease-blacking section of the brush. The screw 4l will take the placeof the pin 43 that is shown in Fig. 1.

In the use of the machine a shoe is presented with the tread face of theheel on the rest 4() and pushed back between the brushes, which with theguides 50 carried by them are relatively adjusted to permit the heel tobe thrust into position for both sides to be treated at the same time.The guides 50 stop or may limit the backward movement of the heel. Theshoe is then turned toward one side and then toward the other to swingthe entire edge surface of the heel into contact with the brushes to becoated with blacking by them. The stops limit the turning movement sothat the blacking is not smeared upon the shank of the shoe or upon thebreast face. As the shoe is turned in contact with one guide or theother along its side toward the breast edge said guide, by its eccentricformation, forces the heel farther away from the axis of the brush sothat the bristles are permitted to unbend or partially unbend beforethey pass the breast edge. The bristles which may be upbent by the workare automatically straightened by the eccentric guides with eachrotation of the brushes. These bristles are also further straightened bythe engagement of the transferring roll 8 with them. This roll wipesdown from the top of the brush and turns the bristles down even belowtheir normal position. It will be observed that the transferrer appliesthe blacking upon the top or top edge of the brush from which positionit flows down by gravity to the lower portions. This gives a maximum ofblacking for those bristles which are to apply it in the rand crease. Bythe arrangement shown, by which the blacking is applied in largequantitiesupon this upper portion of the brush, the bristles enteringthe crease flood blacking into the crease so that it finds its way intoall the cracks and depressions. The rubbing engagement of thetransferrer with the bristles at the edge of the brush keeps thesebristles clean and prevents blacking from drying and caking at this partof the brush as it would otherwise do. The machine will preferably bemaintained in motion constantly so that the brushes are loaded withblacking ready for coating a heel at any time. Scrapers remove surplusblacking from the brushes and return it to an inclined portion of theshelf 30 from which it flows back into the reservoir. rI`hese Scrapersmay be adjustably attached to the shoe-guiding plates, as shown in Figs.3 and el, by binding screws, and will be maintained with said plates inconstant relation to the brushes in the relative adjustment of thebrushes. The arms l5 keep the blacking in the entire reservoir constantly stirred and prevent the wax, which is in suspension in theblacking solution, from settling as it has a tendency to do quiterapidly.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 a distributer inthe Jform of a plate having its upper end in substantial contact withthe drum 5 and itslower end overlying the brushes 20 is substituted forthe transfer roll 8. The distributer is supported by a block 62 havingarms 63 sliding in a boss on the reservoir and a screwa connecting itwith the boss for adjustment of the distributer horizontally whereby itsrelation to the drum and the quantity of blacking which it will takefrom the drum can be varied. A scraper 65 adjustable by a screw 66 alsois provided to vary the amount of blacking which the drum will carry tothe distributer and t0 prevent any lumps from reaching the distributer.The distributer is provided with partitions or dividing walls G8arranged to divide the blacking as it comes from the drum and insurethat a suitable proportion shall be directed to each brush even if themachine is not set up level. The partitions also prevent the blackingthickening on the distributer in a way to form irregular channels asmight occur if a plane surfaced distributer were employed. Thepartitions are shown as arranged to provide two runs for each brush.From the inner ones blacking will be directed upon the brushes when thelatter are adjusted for small heels and from the outer ones the blackingwill fall upon the brushes when they are positioned for large heels ofmens shoes. The shaft 35 is provided in thismodification with cams 70(shown in Fig. 8) instead of the screw threads 36 of Fig. l coperatingwith the brush carrying blocks 32 to adjust the brushes and a spring 72holds the blocks 32 against the cams. In this construction the drum isdriven from an internal gear and a pinion, as shown in Fig. 7. rI`hetransferring roll 8 and the distributer 60 are more than substitutes theone for the other for each has a distinctive function in addition totheir common function of carrying the blacking and in Fig. 9 I haveshown an arrangement in which the roll and the partitioned distributerare combined to secure the distinctive function of each while they cooperate in delivering the blacking. The partitioned distributer insuresthe delivery of predetermined proportional quantities of blacking to theportions of the transferrer which cooperate with the different brushesin their adjusted positions and the roll carries these portions ofblacking directly to the brushes. The roll also serves itscharacteristic purpose of shaping the edge of the brush and wiping orstripping the bris tles that work in the rand crease.

I have illustrated in Figs. 9 and l0 a modified construction of thesliding rod 52 (Fig. 4;) which connects and holds the guides 50 fromrotating. In the modification two rods 52 have their adjacent endspivoted on a vertical post (Fig. l0) and their other ends slide in lugson the guides 50, thus enabling the brushes to be adjusted toward orfrom each other. By this construction a relative adjustment between theguides 50 and their respective brushes can be effected, since as thebrushes are moved toward or from each other, the rods 52 will cause theguides 50 to turn on their respective brushes, thus adjusting the guidesinto the proper positions for guiding a different size or style of heel.

In the following claims reference is made to positions of parts and todirections of movement of elements which are to be understood as termsof designation and not of limitation, as it is obvious that the relativepositions and the relative directions of movement are important ratherthan absolute and positive directions.

Having explained the nature of this invention and described a preferredconstruction embodying the same, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means forblacking a heel having provision for applying a relatively greateramount of blacking material to the rand crease than to the edge of theheel.

2. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means forblacking a heel having provision for iooding the rand crease and forcoating the heel edge with a relat-ively smaller deposit of blackingmaterial. f

3. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means forblacking the rand crease of a shoe and means for blacking the edge ofthe'heel, and means for supplying a relatively greater quantity ofcoloring matter' to the crease-blacking means than tothe edge-blackingmeans.

4. A machine of the class described having, in combination, means forblacking the rand crease of a shoe and means for blacking the edge ofthe heel, and means for supplying coloring material directly to thecrease-blacking means and indirectly to the edge-blacking means.

5. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, means for supplyingblacking, and means for distributing the blacking constructed andarranged to apply to the rand crease of the shoe a relatively greaterquantity of blacking than to the edge face of the heel or sole.

6. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, means for supplyingblacking, and means for distributing the blacling constructed andarranged to flood the rand crease while coating the edge of the heel orsole.

7. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, means for supplyingblacking,

and a horizontally arranged brush constructed and arranged to treat withits upper edge the crease faces of the shoe and with its body portionthe edge faces of t-he heel or sole and located with relation to thesupplying means to receive the blaclring directly upon its upper edge.

8. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, means for supplyingblacking, a brush arranged for movement in a horizontal plane and toreceive the blacking upon its upper edge, and means to assist theoperator in presenting the work with the rand crease in position toreceive blacking from the upper edge portion of the brush.

9. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, horizontally arrangedapplying devices for distributing the blacking at the same time atopposite sides of the shoe horizontally presented thereto, and supplyingmeans arranged to discharge blacking upon the upper edges of saiddevices.

10. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, horizontallyarranged brushes adapted to treat a shoe thrust between them, means fordelivering blacking upon the upper edge portions of the brushes, andmeans for guiding the shoe to receive blacking in its rand crease fromsaid upper edge portions of the brushes and to have the edge faces ofthe heel coated by the body portions of the brushes.

11. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, horizontallyarranged brushes adapted to treat a shoe thrust between them, means fordelivering blacking upon the upper edge portions of the brushes only,and shoe-guiding means adjustable from and toward said upper edgeportion of the brushes to present the rand creases of heels of differentheights in position to be treated by that portion of the brushes.

12. A shoe blaoking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblacking to the heel edge, and a roll on an axis at right angles to saidbrush and arranged to deliver blacking to one edge of the brush.

13. A shoe blacking machine having, in combination, horizontallyarranged brushes adapted to treat a shoe thrust between them, and meansfor delivering blacking upon the upper edge portions of the brushes,comprising a roll arranged at right angles to the brushes and wiplngacross the edge of the brushes.

14. A heel blacking machine having, in

combination, a blacking brush constructed to apply blacking to the edgeof a shoe bottom, a blacking supplying device movable on an axis atright angles to the axis of the brush, and means for operating saiddevice to cause it to wipe blacking on to the brush across the edge ofthe brush.

15. A heel blacling machine having, in

combination, a blacking brush, means to actuate the brush, and means tostraighten the bristles of the brush as it is actuated.

16. A heel blaclring machine having, in combination, a blaclring brush,means for rotating the brush, and a device under which the end of thebrush turns in wiping contact to bend downwardly bristles which may havebeen upturned by the work.

17. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a blacking brush,means for rotating the brush, and bristlc-straightening means having anacting edge extending obliquely across the edge of the brush. l

18. A heel blacling machine having, `in combination, a blacking brush,means for rotating the brush, and a plate in contact with the end faceof the brush and having a bristle-straightening edge eccentric to theaxis of the brush and extending across its edge.

19. A heel blaclring machine having, in combination, a blacling brush,and shaping means for bending the end bristlesinto a position inclineddownwardly toward the body of the brush for the purpose described.

20. A heel blacling machine having, in combination, a blaclring brushincluding a portion for forcing blacking into the rand crease, and meansfor engaging the bristles that act along the shoe upper side of thecrease to direct them downwardly'.

21. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a blacking brushincluding a portion for forcing blaclring into the rand crease, andshaping means cooperating with the crease-blacling portion of the brush.

22. A heel blacling machine having, in combination, a blacking brush,means for rotating the brush, and a shaping roll turning across the endof the brush.

23. A heel blaclring machine having, in combination, a heel-blackingbrush comprising a thin section having short stiff bristles and taperedfrom its upper edge downwardly for forcing the blacking into the randcrease, and a thick section of soft bristles for wiping blaclring uponthe edge of the heel, and means for actuating the brush.

24. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotatablebrushes between which the heel may be thrust and turned from side toside to coat the dierent portions of the heel edge, a tread rest forpositioning the shoe with relation to the brushes, and an adjustablestop arranged near each brush to engage the fore part of the shoe tolimit its turning movement before the breast edge of the heel reachesposition to receive blaclring from the brushes.

25. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, devices for applyingblacking, a tread rest +10, a shelf 30, and stops 45 located at eitherside of the tread rest and adjustable in holes formed in the shelf S0,said stops serving to limit the movement of the shoe with relation tosaid devices.

Q6. A heel blacliing machine having, in combination, a brush forapplying blacking, means for actuating the brush, and shoeguiding meansarranged to position automatically different portions of the shoe indifferent radial relations to the periphery of the brush for the purposedescribed.

27. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblacking, means for actuating the brush, and shoe-guiding means withrelation to which the shoe is moved, said guiding means being shaped toguide the shoe away from the brush as the breast edge of the heelapproaches the acting portion of the brush for the purpose described.

28. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblacking, means for actuating the brush, and a guide plate having anacting edge. eccentric to the periphery of the brush andformed to forcethe shoe outwardly as the breast edge of the heel approaches the actingportion of the brush for the purpose described.

29. A heel blaclring machine having, in combination, a brush forapplying blacking, means for actuating the brush, and shoestopping andguiding means arranged to require the shoe to be turned along the brushand the guiding means, said guiding means being constructed and arrangedto force the shoe outwardly as the breast edge of the heel approachesposition to receive blacking.

30. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblaclting, means for actuating the brush, a plate arranged adjacent toone end of the brush and provided with a shoe-guiding face oblique withrelation to the acting edge of the brush, and means permitting relativeadjustment of the plate and brush.

31. A heel blacling machine having, in combination, a rotary brush,means for actuating it, a plate extending across one end of the brushand having a shoe-guiding edge comprising a portion remote from theperiphery of the brush at one portion of the acting face of the brushand a portion extending substantially to the acting edge of the brush atanother portion of said acting face.

82. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a rotary brush,means for actuating it, and a plate extending across one end of thebrush and having a bristlestraightening edge extending eccentricallywith relation to the brush and arranged to uncover the acting portion ofthe brush and to cover an inactive portion of the brush.

33. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two brushes betweenwhich a heel may be thrust for treating opposite sides thereof, andshoe-guiding means constructed and arranged to limit the backwardmovement of the heel and to guide the heel into such relation to theacting face of the brush as the breast edge approaches position toreceive blacling that the bristles may straighten as they approach saidedge.

34. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two brushes betweenwhich a heel may be thrustfor treating opposite sides thereof, andshoe-guiding means constructed and arranged to limit the backwardmovement of the heel and to require the heel to be turned to black itadjacent to the breast edge, said guiding means having an acting faceshaped to force the heel outwardly from the brush as it is turned.

35.l A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesadapted to black opposite sides of the heel at the same time, andpositioning means comprising plates located over said brushes andarranged to limit the movement of the heel into the machine and havingacting edges eccentric to ther brushes and arranged to guide the heelaway from the brushes as it is turned to present the breast edge.

36. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesadapted to black opposite sides of the heel at the same time, andguiding plates having eccentric shoe-positioning edges cooperating witheach brush.

37. A heel blaclring machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesadapted to black opposite sides of the heel at the same time, and platesarranged with relation to the two brushes to limit the introduction ofthe heel and having eccentric shoe-guiding edges to limit the approachof the shoe to different portions of the brush.

38. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a rotary brushcomprising a body portion formed of bristles adapted to coat the sidefaces of the heel and a relatively thin superposed portion formed ofbristles having different characteristics for applying blacking in therand crease of the shoe, and means for delivering blacking directly tothe thin portion, the brush being so positioned that the body portionreceives blacking from the thin portion.

39. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, means for supplyingblacking comprising a reservoir, a drum adapted to carry blacking on itsperiphery, a transferrer roll arranged in substantial contact with theperiphery of the drum beyond the vertical plane of the axis of the drumwhereby the blacking is caused to collect in the angle between lthe drumand transferrer, means for rotating the drum and the transferrer, andmeans to receive the blacking from the transferrer and deliver it to thework.

40. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, brushes for treatingopposite sides of a heel at the same time, means for supplying blackingthereto comprising a reservoir, a drum, and a transferrer, and means forcontinuously driving the drum and the transferrer, said machine havingprovision for stripping the brushes and returning the blacking to thereservoir to prevent accumulation of blacking on the brushes when noshoe is in the machine.

4l. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor applying blacking to the opposite edges of a heel, means foradjusting said brushes from and toward each other into definiterelations to act simultaneously upon opposite sides of heels ofdifferent widths, and a common driving means for rotating the brushes intheir adjusted positions.

42. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor applying blacking to the opposite edges of a heel, carrier blocksupon which the brushes are mounted, means for adjusting the blocks fromand toward each other, a shaft extending through the blocks and providedwith means adapted to cooperate with the brushes in different adjustedpositions for driving the brushes.

43. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor applying bla'cking to the opposite edges of a heel, means foradjusting the brushes from and toward one another, heel-guiding platescarried by said brushes, and means connecting said plates to hold themfrom rotation but permit them to be adjusted with the brushes.

44. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor applying blacking to the opposite edges of a heel, heel-guidingplates on the brushes having acting edges eccentric to the brushes andarranged to uncover a maximum width of the brushes at their adjacentsides and to permit the brushes a decreasing extent of projection fromthe inner sides forwardly.

45. A heel blacking machine having, in

combination, a brush for applying the blacking arranged with its actingface at an angle to the horizontal and adapted to treat the rand creasewith its upper portion, and means arranged to supply the blacking to theupper portion of the brush and permit the blacking which is not used inthe crease to work down upon the part of the brush that coats the edgeface of the heel.

46. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a plurality ofrotatable heel blacking brushes arranged on substantially vertical axesto treat different portions of a heel which is moved between them, and

llO

means for delivering blacking upon the upper edge only of the actingfaces ofthe brushes.

47. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingthe blacking arranged with its acting face at an angle to thehorizontal, and supplying means including a transferrer arranged toengage first with the upper edge of said acting face and wipe downacross it.

48. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a blacking brush ona substantially vertical axis, a rotary transferrer on a substantiallyhorizontal axis and arranged to wipe from the upper portion of the brushdownwardly, and outwardly across the top edge of the brush obliquely,and means for actuating the brush and the transferrer.

49. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblaclring, a heel tread rest, on which the heel may be turned inpresenting it to the brush, and means for adjusting the rest angularlyto support the heel in predetermined relation with the plane of rotationo the brush.

50. A heel blacling machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblacking including a section constructed and arranged to enter the randcrease, a heel tread rest on which the heel may be turned in presentingit to the brush, and means permitting adjustment of the rest angularlyJfor supporting heels of different shapes with the rand crease parallelwith the crease-blaclring section of the brush. 4

51. A heel blaclrino machine having, in combination, a brush torapplying blacking, means for actuating the brush, and means forstripping the brush, comprising a rotary stripper turning transverselyof the movef ment of the brush and wiping outwardly toward the actingface of the brush.

52. A heel blacking machine, having, in combination, a brush forapplying blacking, means for actuating the brush, and means forstripping the brush comprising an eccentric edged plate arranged withsaid edge eXtending across the edge of the brush in contact with the endface of the brush.

53. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, a brush for applyingblacking,

means for actuating the brush, and means for stripping the brushcomprising an eccentric edged plate arranged with its edge eX- tendingacross the edge of the brush in contact with the end face of the brushand means for adjusting the plate relatively to the brush.

54. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor blacking opposite edges of a heel thrust between them and turnedfrom side to side, guides for forcing the heel away from the aXis of theadjacent brush as the shoe is turned to apply blacking adjacent to thebreast edge, means for adjusting the brushes for large and small heels,and means for adjusting the guides with relation to the brushes when thebrushes are adjusted.

55. A heel blacking machine having, in

combination, two rotary brushes for blacling opposite edges of a heelthrust between them and turned from side to side, eccentric plates onthe ends of the brushes to guide the heel, means for adjusting thebrushes :trom and toward each other, and means for adjusting the plateswith relation to the brushes.

56. A heel blacking machine having, in

combination, two rotary brushes for black.

ing opposite edges of a heel thrust between them and turned,shoe-positioning devices, means for adjusting the brushes from andtoward each other to adapt them to the widths of heels of differentsizes, said machine having provision for automatically adjusting at thesame time the positioning gevices to adapt them to the length of theeel.

57. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor blaclc ing opposite edges of a heel thrust between them, means foradjusting the brushes for heels of different sizes, 'and means forsupplying blaclring comprising a reservoir, a drum, and a transferrerroll arranged to receive the blacking Jfrom the drum and apply it uponthe upper edge portions of the brushes.

58. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, an applying brush,means for rotating the brush, and a plate arranged with an edgeextending obliquely across the edge of the brush in contact with an endface'of the brush, and means for adjusting the plate relatively to thebrush in the plane of said end face.

59. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, two rotary brushesfor applying blacking to opposite edges of a heel which is thrustendwise between them and turned from side to side, eccentric plates onthe ends of the brushes to guide the heel in its endwise and turningmovements between the brushes, and means permitting adjustment of theplates with relation to the brushes.

60. A heel blacking machine having, in combination, means forpositioning a heel, a brush comprising a bristle section formed andarranged with relation to said positionrotating the brush, a plateadjacent to one end of the brush and having an edge eccentric to saidbrush, said edge being positioned close to the periphery of the brushalong the space Where the heel is engaged by the brush during the heelblacking operation, but diverging outwardly from the periphery of thebrush as it extends away :from said space.

- .ing operation, but diverging outwardly from the periphery of t-hebrush as it extends away from said space, said plate being arranged foradjustment relative to said brush. 63. A heel blacking machine having,in combination, means for applying blaclring to the rand crease of ashoe, means for ap* plying blacking to the heel edge, a blackingreservoir and rotatable conveying means for carrying blacliing therefromto the applying means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence oltwo subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK M. FURBER. Witnesses:

CHAs. E. BURNS, ARTHUR L. RUSSELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

